sunny spring weekend - busy in the orchard

The last few weekends have been glorious. We had clear blue skies all day this Saturday, although it still gets very chilly in the evenings. The orchard is starting to come alive, with the first flowers on the pear trees, and some of the apple blossom  just coming out.
We've been working on the front garden of the house, flattening out a shrub/weed filled area ,and then this weekend we moved the huge sandstane slabs that have previously formed a small patio. They are now a path straight out from the house through the gap in the hedge into the orchard. The slabs are extremely heavy (too heavy to lift), so we employed the ancient egyptian method of rolling them along over old bits of drainage pipes. They are layed flush into the newly flattened ground, so that they can be mowed over, when the grass grows......hard work, but looks great.

Sorry...forgot to take photos, so will take some next time.


Roy came down with us for his first visit for a few years, so lovely to see him wandering around the orchard...couldnt stop him!! He also took out a few of the early sprouting Raspberry bushes...so he can bring them on.

Meanwhile, I have been continuing to work on the new rear window.. with the frame in place, i've started adding the panelling (in the same style as panelled wall in the same room).

Also started putting the first coat of (rough) lime on the wall...lots of dubbing in around the window...should be finished in another week or 2. When its whitewashed it will make the room much lighter.

It will be nice when its finished !!!

The first cut in the orchard this weekend... Utilising two lawm-mowers, and clearing some early bramble as we went...Jan and I managed to cut about 2thirds of the orchard...basically all of the lower area..
The upper part of the orchard has been taken over by bramble, so that will be a major project ...at some point !!! .
We were exhasted afterwards...but worth it...its a lovely time of year.